Submission Date: 10 Dec 92
Submittor: WG14
Source: X3J11/91-038 (Stephen D. Clamage)
Question 1
In The C Users Journal, Vol. 8 No. 7, July 1990, P.J. Plauger gives
the following example on page 10:
extern int a[];
int f() {
extern int a[10];
...
}
int sizea = sizeof a; /* error */
Mr. Plauger claims that the size information from the inner scope
``evaporates'' when its scope ends, and the operand to the sizeof
operator has an incomplete type. We cannot find unequivocal support for
this claim in the standard.
Subclause 6.1.2.2 says on page 21, lines 10-11:
... each instance of a particular identifier with external linkage denotes the same object or function.
Combining subclause 6.1.2.6 and subclause 6.5.4.2, we find that the
two declarations for a are compatible and we may construct
a composite type. The composite type is array of 10 int.
Subclause 6.1.2.6 on page 25, lines 19-20, discusses the case of two declarations
in the same scope, but does not discuss the case of two declarations for
the same object in different scopes.
But subclause 6.1.2.5 says on page 24, lines 8-9:
An array type of unknown size is an incomplete type. It is completed, for an identifier of that type, by specifying the size in a later declaration (with internal or external linkage).
The identifier a appears in two declarations, and denotes
the same object. The second declaration completes the type for the identifier
in the inner scope. The two identifiers denote the same object, so it would
seem reasonable to say the type of that object is completed.
Is the size information in the inner scope lost upon leaving the scope?
Response
Is the size information in the inner scope lost upon leaving the scope?
Answer: Yes.
See the correction in response to Defect Report #011.
Question 2
If no size information is known in the outer scope, then consider the following
example:
extern int a[];
int f() {
extern int a[10];
...
}
int g() {
extern int a[20]; /* error? */
...
}
Is this legal? If not, does it violate a constraint?
Response
The example exhibits undefined behavior. It does not violate a constraint.
Subclause 6.1.2.2, page 21, lines 10-13 describe ``same object;'' subclause
6.1.2.6, page 25, lines 9-10 require that ``All declarations that refer
to the same object or function shall have compatible type; otherwise, the
behavior is undefined.''